


Les SDF

by phoenixwriting



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Audrey Bourgeois is a bitch, COVID, Crack, Gabriel is a Decent Human Being, Good Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth, Homeless in Paris, Homelessness, Minor Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth/Nathalie Sancoeur, Well he's not an Asshole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-21
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-18 12:33:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29609466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/phoenixwriting/pseuds/phoenixwriting
Summary: Gabriel Agreste rents a COVID-affected hotel after akumatizing a homeless person. Audrey hates it.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	Les SDF

**Author's Note:**

> SDF (sans domicile fixe) is basically the French term for homeless. I can't believe I actually used a vocabulary from 9th grade. 
> 
> Also, I wrote this while being high on pain meds after dental surgery. But you know, when an idea strikes...

A strong negative emotion struck him. Despair, anger, frustration. The perfect target for an Akuma. Gabriel excused himself to Nathalie, who just made a quiet noise of affirmation. She was used to this.

When he arrived in the lair, he transformed and took in the feelings.

“A broken soul, robbed and humiliated by his own kind,” Hawkmoth mused and corrupted a butterfly. “Fly, my little Akuma, and evilize him.”

It took some time until the Akuma reached its destination to connect with the hat of a man.

“Vengeance, I am Hawkmoth. You have been wronged so many times, played by the ones you trusted. Well, I'm giving you the power to seek revenge! In return, you must give me Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous.”

“They will pay, Hawkmoth.” Once the transformation was completed, Hawkmoth was able to take in the surroundings of his Akuma. He didn't recognize this part of Paris. Under a bridge, several tents and mattresses were sprawled along with garbage.

A couple of people sat on a railing near the street, cars rushing by as if they were oblivious to the misery. The noise was unbearable, and the smell, Hawkmoth felt like throwing up. Personal items were secured in plastic bags protected by their owners. Old furniture acted as firewood or to sit on because the ground was frozen.

Vengeance immediately went into action, throwing over somebody's place of living.

“You!” he shouted when a woman and her dog crawled out of it. Her clothes were ripped, and she was way too coldly dressed for the season. Few dark strands fell into her face, but Hawkmoth could see how frail she was.

Something twisted in his gut. Gabriel Agreste had heard of the increasing homeless population of Paris and had donated money during charity events. But for someone who always had had a roof upon his head, this was a cruel reality check. He felt like he needed to do something. Opening the cap of his cane, he called Nathalie. “Come to the lair. And bring the peacock.”

As the Akuma continued to rampage, Ladybug and Chat Noir showed up but seemed to struggle against someone who had lived at rock bottom for who knew how long.

The lift stalled, and he knew Nathalie was there. “Transform and send an Amok to the Akuma,” he ordered. She knew better than to ask.

Nathalie did as she was told, and as soon as Mayura made connection to the victim, she stiffened. “Oh my God.”

Granted that she was unable to see the place before, laying in ruins, it didn't look much different. Her Sentimonster was weak, and since she had not yet recovered, she didn't put much effort into it.

As they watched the Akuma roaming the neighborhood, Mayura held onto Hawkmoth, shocked by the conditions these people lived under.

“You stole my shoes while I slept,” Vengeance growled towards a teenage boy, that couldn't be older than Adrien. Only then, the Akuma looked down to reveal its bare feet, dark red in the snow.

The boy in question had worn-out boots, one missing the sole, way too large for his feet.

“I'm sorry,” he whimpered, “I was so cold, I didn't know what to do.”

“Those are mine!” Vengeance pulled him up by the feet and took the boot while his enemy was hanging upside down. Hawkmoth had to hold a gag back when his feet were revealed to be swollen black.

“I can't do this.” Hawkmoth put a hand to his face. He may have low morals, but akumatizing lovesick teenagers had never felt this... _ugly_.

“Recall the Akuma,” Mayura suggested.

He shook his head. “I can't. Ladybug wouldn't be able to restore the damage.”

Mayura sighed. She had been angry when she had destroyed her favorite cafe only to find out Ladybug couldn't repair it from New York.

Hawkmoth balled his fist, a method he only used when Akumas tried to slip out of his control. Suddenly, Vengeance was paralyzed, gasping for air. Chat Noir was quick to call his Cataclysm and destroy the hat. Not much later, Mayura lost connection to her Sentimonster, too.

They stood in silence as they processed the scenery.

“I have to do something,” Gabriel said when he dropped his transformation and went to the elevator.

“What do you mean?” Nathalie followed suit.

“I can't let these people live like that. Have you seen this boy's feet? He was Adrien's age! They're freezing to death in the snow while I have a whole damn mansion to myself.”

“Do you want to bring them here?” she asked, concerned.

“No, no. Something else. It doesn't have to be permanent, just to get them out of the cold. Funding a whole shelter would take too long to build. Could you help me find a solution? Will be faster together.”

“Of course.”

-

On the computer, Nathalie scrolled through worldwide newspaper articles until she found an interesting one and forwarded it to Gabriel's desk station.

“Sir, there are several German hotels that made their rooms available for homeless people since they have been forbidden to accommodate regular guests.”

Gabriel skimmed the article, astonished by the positive feedback.

“And I've been thinking you should talk to Mayor Bourgeois about funding the stay in his hotel. I'd make good press for both of you.”

“You're right.” Good thing to have the mayor on direct line. “Hello Andre, this is Gabriel. There might be something I can interest you with.”

And so he explained his plan to a very pleased mayor, who only heard the words _good press_ and _the finances would be taken care of_.

-

Two days later, the Gabriel brand had officially funded the project, and the first people – the ones from the akumatized camp – were due to arrive shortly. The media could already be seen hanging around the hotel entrance, interviewing Mayor Bourgeois. Gabriel watched them from his office.

“It may be good to make a personal appearance for this one,” Nathalie requested, already dressed in a trenchcoat and high boots.

He contemplated his options. Going in person meant he could meet the people while Nathalie took care of the media.

“You're right,” Gabriel nodded before making his way up to his bedroom. Taking a cloak out of the closet that hadn't been used for years, he joined Nathalie at the bottom of the stairs, where she handed him a Gabriel brand face mask.

“I hate these things,” he said as he secured the mask behind his ears, “they ruin the outfit.”

“Says the man whose head looks like a giant egg when transformed.”

-

Together, they walked across the street when Nadja Chamack spotted them and dragged her cameraman along. “Don't be bemused, it's just the news. SDF project funder Gabriel Agreste has just arrived on location. Mr. Agreste, what inspired you to rent a hotel for the homeless?”

“After seeing the news about the Akuma attack in their camp, I felt the need to help them. As you are aware, I fund many charity projects. This one was a perfect opportunity for direct help. I'm excited to talk to the people and learn more about them.” Well, that's what's expected of him to say, but it wasn't exactly a lie. Though Gabriel may hate people in general, interesting ones caught his attention. Whether it was because of fashion, looks, or life story didn't matter.

He answered more of Nadja's questions, ignoring paparazzi's flashing lights that gave the situation the flair of a meaningless gala. Nathalie stood slightly behind him, aiding him when necessary.

Thankfully, the first bus arrived when questions got personal, which allowed Gabriel to excuse himself.

And ignore Audrey, who had arrived on scene. Nathalie would deal with her. She was good at that.

“Words are not enough to thank you for your generosity, Mr. Agreste,” the first person exiting the bus said, and Gabriel wondered how such a well-articulated man had ended on the streets. “Together, we have made a present for you. Although it is nothing compared to your act.”

The man behind him gave Gabriel a canvas. It was a painting of Gabriel, abstractly and cartoonish, but felicitous. Below, many “Thank you”-notes were written. As an artist himself, he considered it beautiful.

“Kylian here was a history art teacher in Algeria who is now painting commissioned pictures for tourists,” he explained. “These signatures are from residents of the camp you chose to relocate.”

Gabriel was speechless. Never had someone taken such effort into a present. He was glad his help was so appreciated. It felt like he mattered, not only his money.

He thanked them profoundly and guided them into the hotel lobby, where they got a Covid test, clothes, and products of daily use, as well as their room keys and instruction. Gabriel figured many of them had never seen a hotel from the inside.

Watching them getting excited about small things like soap made him happy and sad at the same time.

“The press is taken care of, but I'm afraid Audrey might want to have a word with you later,” Nathalie said when she joined him. Gabriel nodded knowing there was no way to get past Audrey in the long run. For the time being, he chose to chat with the man who gave him the present. He hadn't even asked for his name.

Finding him in the back of the lobby with a bag full of things and a great smile on his face, Gabriel approached him. “Is everything to your satisfaction, sir?”

The man looked at him oddly. “For years, no one has called me 'sir'. Everything is perfect, Mr. Agreste, thank you.”

“If I may ask, how did you end up...” Gabriel struggled for the right word as he didn't want to insult him.

“Homeless? I used to be a doctor in the French military, spending most of the time in Afghanistan. I developed a substance abuse disorder – like many of my colleagues – and was forced to resign. When I came home, I lost my apartment due to the inability to pay rent. I have been clean for long, but I have not managed to get off the streets yet. The way Paris treats their SDF is known, I'm aware. To them, it does not matter if one has served the country for almost a decade.”

Gabriel listened to the story the man had to tell. It made him rethink how fast he himself could land on the streets. One bad finance market crash, one bankruptcy, without a support system, he could be done for faster than he could imagine. Nathalie had once told him how she had almost landed on the streets after losing her first job in Paris.

He had an interesting conversation with the man about his divorced wife, his recently passed dog, the support and rivalry of the SDF community, the recent Akuma attack. Subliminally, Gabriel asked about the victim's whereabouts, only to find out, he would probably arrive later. However, the man wasn't sure.

“Gabrikins!” Audrey's shrill voice echoed through the lobby.

“I'm sorry, sir, I couldn't-” Nathalie jogged behind, entirely out of breath.

Gabriel excused himself and turned to Audrey.

“What is it?” He asked, fully aware of _what it was_.

“How could you do this to me? Now I have to share my hotel, _my hotel_ , with these lowlives? Couldn't you just leave them to themselves? Ugh, they stink! I don't want these hobos to be in my presence! Gabriel, you're the worst for not thinking about _me_ for just one second! This is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!”

Before he could answer, Nadja interrupted. “Style Queen Audrey Bourgeois, wife of Mayor Bourgeois, has just confirmed that she disapproves of homeless people. What will this mean for her marriage and her reputation? Stay tuned to find out soon.”

When the camera was put on standby by the operator, Nadja threw a death glare at Audrey, who instantly felt offended. “You can't do this to me. I will sue you and your whole broadcaster!”

Gabriel watched as Audrey followed her out of sight, yelling insults at the reporter. He hoped they didn't actually shut off the camera.

Gabriel snickered. If this whole situation wasn't already good enough, pissing off Audrey was the cherry on top.

“Nathalie, make sure to cancel our latest collaboration with Audrey. Don't tell her why.”

“Of course, sir.”


End file.
